Alaska’s Ostrander in Olympic Trials Steeplechase Finals

    Allie Ostrander is shown on the big screen at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field in 2016, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. (Klas Stolpe / KINY)

    Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Kenai Central High School graduate Allie Ostrander finished sixth in her heat of the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field in Eugene, Oregon and qualified for Thursday's finals.

     Grayson Murphy of Utah won Ostrander’s heat in 9 minutes, 25.37 seconds. Ostrander ran 9:35.56 to advance to the Thursday’s 14-woman strong finals.

      The top three placings on Thursday will earn a team USA spot in the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games if they have the Olympic qualifying standard of 9:30.00 seconds. Ostrander is a three-time NCAA steeplechase champion whose personal-best is 9:30.85.

      The top five finishers in each of two steeplechase heats on Sunday automatically moved into the finals, as did the four fastest women not in the top five. Ostrander was at the top of that latter group. She moved from the back of the pack to mid-race grouping and was able to continue that pace into the finish.

       Emma Coburn of Colorado won the other heat in 9:21.32.

      Ostrander is also scheduled to run the 10,000 meters on Saturday.

      This is the second straight appearance at the Olympic Trials for Ostrander, 24. In 2016, Ostrander place eight in the 5,000 meters.

      Ostrander recently posted her battle with an eating disorder on a social media site and was unsure she would compete at the trials.

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